Abstract:
The leaf of Calpurniaaurea,one of the most popular herbal products in tropical countries, is used
in traditional medicine for treatment of several diseases. The leaf part this plant was extracted
by successive extraction. The present study was conducted to investigate the anti-oxidative and
antibacterial activities of different solvent extracts of the leaf of C.aura. The results indicated
that all extracts have reducing power of DPPH radical scavenging abilities. Methanol and ethyl
acetate extracts have the highest total reducing power and petroleum ether extract showed the
lowest reducing power. Qualitative phytochemical screening of the extracts indicated the
presence of glycoside, steroids, terpenoids,saponins and tannins with different concentration.
Quantitative analysis of the leaves extracts of C.aurea for flavonoid was performed. The total
flavonoid content varied from 41to134.58 mg/g of dry weight of extracts that expressed as
Quercetin equivalents. The antioxidant activities of methanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether
leaf extracts of Calpurnia aurea were screened using 1.1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl and ferric
reducing power assay.IC50 values were found to be 53μg/mL, 82.541μg/mL and 172.103 μg/mL
in methanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether leaf extracts respectively for their antioxidant
activity by DPPH assay; the lower IC50 value which showed the radical scavenge activity to be
effective in this solvent extract. In the same condition methanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum
ether extract showed high antioxidant activity and oxygen free radicals scavenging abilities
which were found almost equivalent to the ascorbic acid standard antioxidant activity. The
antibacterial activity of plant extract of C.aurea was performed against four bacteria species S.
aureus, E coli, S. pyogens, K. pneumonia, at concentrations of 1000 mg/L. The result revealed
that the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts showed a better activity on all disease causing
pathogens bacteria than petroleum extract